Allure of the Wolf (Seraphine Thomas Book 2) (22 page)

“What trick?” someone asked.

I called on my siren, making her swear to only play and clucked my tongue. “That’s too personal a question for a professional lecture. Let’s just say a strong animal has strong animal
magnetism
.” I let go of enough of my siren’s talents just to metaphysically reach out and brush my power over each of them.

Basically I turned the whole room on. Not focused on
me
like I had in our offices when Engle and Chief Monroe had set me off, but just
on
. The lecture hall filled with gasps and groans, wide eyes and heavy breathing.

“And now you know what the full moon does to shifters live and in color,” I chuckled richly in my siren’s voice. “For three days, we become creatures of baser instincts. We want to eat, shift—and what you’re feeling now.” I smirked as I shut it down. “Chief Monroe, they’re all yours.”

“Yeah, I want to follow that act,” he grumbled as I led Horton none too gently out into the hall.

Hey, better him than me continuing. I hated that crap.

13

I’d snagged the bag of clothes from Davis on the way out, patting Harris’s cheetah head just for kicks. I grabbed Horton’s arm roughly and dragged him to the nearest bathroom, locking the door behind me and spinning on him.

Only to have him press me up against the wall and attack my mouth. He lifted one of my legs as he started to undo his pants.

“Are you
insane
,” I snarled, shoving him away hard enough that he went crashing into the wall and fell to the ground. My head started pounding, my pulse ringing in my ears. “You are
not
fucking me.”

“Please, Alpha,” he whimpered, his eyes full of lust and almost crazed. “Please? I will make it good. Oh god, it will be so good. You almost made me turn and then the power you just let out was
awesome
.” He scrambled over to me on his hands and knees before yanking off my towel. He licked his lips before trying to bury his face between my legs.

I actually resorted to bitch slapping him before reaching for my pack and hurrying to dress. I was fastening my bra when I heard Horton clear his throat.

“I’m so sorry, Chief Thomas. I’ve never felt power like that before. What
are you
?” he muttered quietly. I turned around as I slipped on my shirt.

When I laid eyes on him, all I saw was my hands around his throat, wringing his neck still. It took me several beats to get the images to leave and my pulse to slow down again. “Doesn’t matter. Are you back with me?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded, his cheeks so red that even his ears were flaming. “I apologize, Alpha—” I shot him an even nastier look, and he lowered his head. “Chief Thomas. I apologize, Chief Thomas.”

“If this is the control you have, then you’re a prime fucking example of why paranormals shouldn’t be in training with humans in Quantico.”

“Ma’am, I’ve not slipped up
once
,” he argued as he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ve not lost control since I was a cub. I’ve
never
felt power like yours, and I’m still not even sure
what
I felt. I can’t infect anyone. I just wanted to prove that someone could make it through and keep their shit together. Those of us who can’t infect or like vamps who have to
consciously
turn someone shouldn’t be banned from the program.”

I agreed so I slowly nodded as I tucked my shirt into my skirt. “What are you? I’ve never smelled something like you before.”

“Polar bear.” My eyes just about bugged out of my head. “Yes, we’re rare because we can only be born, no infecting or transferring of virus.”

“All right, Horton, but we will continue to talk.” I shot him a look that said my statement wasn’t open for debate even as I slipped on my heels. It wasn’t easy being authoritative while getting dressed in front of a stranger.

Apparently I might need to get used to it.

He quickly nodded, hope filling his eyes. “Yes, ma’am. I planned on transferring to MNSTR once I graduated. I kind of hoped to do something like you are, show a paranormal could be real FBI too. I’d love to come train with you and—”

“Okay, settle down, Horton,” I chuckled as I slid on my holster, shaking my head. “You’re missing the lecture.” I reached into my bag and pulled out one of my cards, writing down my cell phone. “Call me if you need anything and when you get close to finishing your training. There’s a certain way you should
come out
on this. I’ll talk with Chief Monroe and we’ll help you.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” He snatched up the card and just about booked it from the bathroom, unlocking the door first. I splashed some water on my face and tried to get my shit back together when there was a
knock
at the door. I blinked in the mirror a moment before walking over there and opening it. I swallowed a soft growl as the scent of
strong
wolves hit me immediately before I could even see who was there.

And
oh my
what a sight.

A very,
very
attractive Marine cleared his throat as he scrubbed his hand over his auburn hair before his gray eyes met mine, another one standing behind him. “Chief Thomas, we saw you exit the lecture and wanted to speak with you in private a moment before you left the base.”

“Step into my office,” I chuckled nervously as I moved aside and let them in.

“Alpha,” the one breathed, sniffing the air as he walked by me. This time I hesitated in locking the door. I didn’t want anyone walking in on the conversation, but I didn’t know if locking myself in with two wolves who were unknown to me and what their intentions were was such a good idea.

But I did it anyways because someone barging in on us was worse than potentially getting into a fight. They had a cover to keep. It seemed to be the right decision when I turned back around and both of them were baring their necks to me.

“So is every paranormal here going to greet me on the side?” I hedged, raising an eyebrow and studying them closely. There were no outward signs of aggression, hands loose at their sides, shoulders mostly relaxed… More excited than anything.

“No, Alpha, we asked to switch shifts and pulled some favors when we heard you were coming,” one assured me, still looking at the ceiling. “We’re getting out soon and are looking for a home.”

“I’m not the Alpha of Chicago, guys.” I moved closer and was once again hit by how powerful these two were. Not anywhere near me, but now that I was learning to read wolves, I could tell people under me and they registered right around Engle.

“We know. The current Alpha approached us,” the other muttered, frowning deeply. “He wants us to join the pack. He discussed you being his Alpha Bitch soon as a
perk
of the pack’s power.” He lowered his head enough to glance at me but still keep his neck bared. “But you’re
way
stronger than that asshole. We don’t want to be under him. We discussed taking over that pack just because it’s messed up and Chicago was our birth pack long ago before he was ever in charge. But now, having met you…” he trailed off and I moved even closer.

“What are your names?” I asked, my wolf
and
siren perking up. We liked them. Oh
yes
we liked them on all aspects. They were strong, obviously moral, and oh so fine.

“Cooney, Alpha,” they said together, but then the first one clarified. “I’m Hagan Cooney, this is my twin Reagan Cooney.”

“Hello, Hagan Cooney,” I purred as I stepped in front of this tall, six-five drink of sexy wolf. “And what are you thinking about taking over Chicago’s pack now that you’ve met me? What were you going to say?” I put my wolf’s authority in my tone, smiling when the man shivered.

“Now we would
gladly
swear allegiance to you, Alpha Thomas,” he panted, his chest heaving. “We would be anything you wanted, do anything you asked of us.”

“Be anything you needed, help however we could,” Reagan Cooney continued, shivering. “We’ve checked into what you’re doing through the grapevine, helping those women, fighting what Engle’s doing in the pack. We’re in. He’s a monster. The pack is supposed to be
family
, not a bunch of bullies that beat on their own.”

“Who knew coming to Quantico could help me in so many ways?” I chuckled. I went to kiss his neck and growled. “You’re too tall.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Hagan immediately leaned over. I licked up his neck as I pushed aside his BDU jacket and slid my hand under his shirt so I touched skin.

“Fuck, I told you she was a siren,” Reagan Cooney hissed, moving closer. “I
told you
.”

“I know, you were right,” Hagan moaned, trembling under my touch, but I froze. “You have nothing to fear from us, Alpha. We were stationed at NSA Souda Bay, and we know Alena Dorcus. Rumor has it that the bust that got you hurt was with her son.”

“It was. She, Zeno, and I have discussed it and are friends. They didn’t know of his crimes,” I hedged, still wondering if that would leave me in trouble because I’d killed their friend’s son.

“It was better that you did the job of putting him down then so they didn’t have to, though I’m sorry things turned out like this for you, Alpha,” Reagan murmured. I turned to greet him the same, thinking his neck would be hurting soon from still staring up at the ceiling.

What I hadn’t counted on was Hagan Cooney molding himself to my back and kissing my neck as his hands cupped my ass.

“So you accept what I am?” I checked as Reagan lowered his head when I was done. “You know I can’t ever be monogamous and mated?”

“Monogamy is overrated,” Reagan growled before kissing me.

Apparently I
was
going to have some fun in the bathroom after all.

“Accept us, Alpha,” Hagan begged as he lifted my skirt. “We will serve
you
, help you run the pack, and bring it back to its former glory. We don’t want to be Alphas. We like taking orders.”

Yes, yes they do,
my siren agreed, pleased as punch at the turn of events. I saw in their minds that these two
craved
what Alena had. But she only had shifters as her lovers, I had Tristan and I’d sovereigned him which meant I couldn’t mate. That didn’t seem to bother them.

“I don’t know that I’m taking over the pack,” I admitted, even as I moved into their hands and angled my body better for their lips. “I sovereigned a vampire by accident. I’m much newer than Alena. I don’t know what I’m even doing, guys. I can’t rule a pack.”

“We can help you. We’ll be your Betas, protectors, everything,” Reagan swore as his hands pulled out my shirt and moved under my bra. His lips felt
so
good on my neck while his twin kissed the other side. Hagan’s fingers moved between my legs. “Let us show you that we will be yours.”

“Uh-huh,” I moaned like a wanton slut. Yeah, apparently I had
no
control
.

Whatever. I didn’t feel guilty about that when hot, Irish Marines,
twins,
were throwing themselves at me.

They did the job well, teasing and pleasing only me without even trying for sex.

“You make a compelling offer,” I chuckled as I came back down from my orgasm. I righted my clothes as I moved away from them. “Look, I won’t promise I’m going to take over the pack, but I
will
clean it up and set things to rights. I can’t have what’s been going on continue in my city with me in the FBI.” I waited until they both nodded. “Engle’s been sending the weakest wolves to attack women to drive up the pack’s female numbers.”

“What?” Hagan snarled, his eyes shifting to his wolves. Reagan had about the same reaction. “That asshole needs to die.”

“Die?” I gasped, stumbling back a step. “Who said anything about
murder
?”

They shook off their wolves and glanced at each other before Reagan spoke. “Chief Thomas, taking over the pack is a dominance fight to the death. The challenge for Alpha is the
ultimate
challenge or every idiot would fight their way up the pack and make it. That’s all the Alpha would be dealing with.”

“Kill Engle,” I rasped, turning to the sinks and bracing my hands on the counter. “No one said
anything
about having to
kill
Engle, not in all the talks or people pushing me to take over. No one told me that.”

“We’re sorry,” Hagan murmured as he rubbed my back. “We’re very sorry, Chief Thomas. It’s the only way to keep him from retaliating or dividing the pack after a new Alpha wins.”

I nodded, understanding it in theory, but
furious
at how easily everyone just thought I should do it,
assumed
that wouldn’t be an issue for me or anything. “How long until you’re both out?”

Reagan wet some paper towels for me, and I accepted them I as stood back up. “A few weeks. Just after the full moon.”